Association between H. pylori infection and dental disease

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K08711
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Epidemiology and preventive medicine
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: mizuno yoshiko 東京大学, 大学院医学系研究科(医学部), 特任研究員 (80436477)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: ヘリコバクターピロリ菌 / 齲歯 / 歯周炎 / 胃十二指腸病変

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a gram negative, microaerophilic, spiral-shaped bacterium found in the gastric mucosa. Infection with this organism causes peptic and duodenal ulcers, gastric carcinoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). Although approximately 50% of people in the world are infected with H. pylori, the route by which H. pylori infection is transmitted is not yet clear. One of the unanswered questions is whether oral cavities could be a reservoir of these bacteria. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between H. pylori and dental caries/periodontitis focusing on cytotoxin-associated A (CagA)-positive H. pylori strains.

Free Research Field

予防医学、内科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

ピロリ菌の罹患率は、先進国では20-30%であり、除菌治療に成功しない限り感染者は生涯キャリアとなる。本邦では除菌治療の健康保険適用が「慢性胃炎」にまで改訂され、治療法は確立されているが、除菌の成功率は約90％である。また、一旦除菌に成功しても胃・十二指腸病変が再発する症例もあり、除菌治療後の成人におけるピロリ菌の再感染も否めない。本研究では齲歯、歯周炎がピロリ菌の病原巣となりうるかにつき、ピロリ感染と齲歯/歯周病の関連について解析した。